Shooting spree in Graz: Mental instability remained hidden from the army!

Shooting spree in Graz: Mental instability remained hidden from the army!

A shooting spree in Graz shocked the Republic of Austria on June 12, 2025. The perpetrator, who failed his job, was mentally unstable and did not pass the required psychological aptitude test. However, this information was not shared due to privacy concerns, leading to a strong reaction from the public. Styria's Governor Mario Kunasek expressed outrage at existing data protection regulations and called for changes to allow for better information sharing, particularly in cases that pose direct threats to the public.

The armed forces, recognizing the gunman's psychological instability, were not qualified to pass on such sensitive information. This raises questions about current legal regulations, which may jeopardize protections for the general public.

Gun ownership in Austria

In Austria, a number of requirements must be met in order to purchase and own revolvers, pistols or semi-automatic firearms. According to the regulations, the applicant must be a reliable citizen of the European Economic Area, at least 21 years old and able to credibly justify why a weapon is needed. Rainer Kastner, a weapons psychologist, points out that many people claim an interest in sport shooting, but often cite self-protection as the real reason.

In order to receive a gun ownership card, you also need proof of how you handle guns and a psychological report on gun reliability. However, according to Julia Wachter, head of the BÖP's legal psychology section, it is worrying that outdated tests continue to be used. These deficiencies lead to an inadequate definition of what appraisers are actually supposed to test.

Criticism of current testing standards

Weapon psychological reliability is a central point. Exclusion criteria such as drug or alcohol addiction, psychological disorders and mental weakness are present; Nevertheless, an individual anamnesis between the expert and the applicant is not required by law. This is problematic because many reputable experts conduct one-on-one interviews, while mass testing, in which several people are tested at the same time, is criticized. This practice is considered inadequate and has already led to dangerous situations. The BÖP has forwarded documented cases of such mass testing to the ministry, but without bringing about any significant changes.

The legal psychology department also sent a statement to the ministry to point out the need for a serious assessment. Changes to the law often only need to be considered after tragic events, underscoring the urgency of reform.

Overall, the incident in Graz shows how important it is to revise the legal regulations in order to ensure the protection of the population. More accurate and responsible review of gun ownership applications could prevent tragic incidents in the future.

Further information on weapons law testing procedures can be found at kfv.at.